The Manaverse

Slatewell Safe Zone

Granite City

After the barrier appeared, at first the population of Granite City fell into a stupor of relief. There was nervousness and unrest surrounding the "Bunker Incident" that continued to grow, but past that singular issue, most of the population was happy to finally feel safe.

That feeling of security slowly turned into a boiling pot of contention over the first ten days of the Lock Down. The Safe Zone Staff was required to ration the supplies they could give out. The ability to escape from being surrounded by thousands of people was a luxury very few had. It didn't help that the people who were angry about the deaths of all those in the bunker were still mad, their outrage and grief having no outlet.

Normal Ranked civilians who were too scared to hunt and didn't get a crafting skill with their initial System granted Skill Orbs were nearly starving while those who had hunted and had coins from selling Monster Parts were able to purchase food from the System Shop. It made a "have" and "have not" situation where those with power had the space and luxury to relax while the average person felt like a refugee in their own city.

The resentment hadn't reached a boiling point, but every person stuck inside the Zone was counting down the moments until the Lock Down ended. Whether it be in fear or anticipation varied from person to person.

Another heavy weight on the Safe Zone was the growing divide between those who remained Human and those who did not.

People who were now Elves, Dwarfs, and the more human like Beast-kin were looked over for the most part. But the Fae, more Animalistic Beast-kin and other more exotic variants had a harder time fitting in. The staff was thankful that none of the confrontations had resulted in full blown violence yet, but something was going to happen soon if things didn't change.

Not everything was so bad though.

Becoming "Normal Rank" compared to "Pre-System" humans had bolstered the population's capability to fight off the more common diseases that usually spread in enclosed areas. The addition of Healing Magic and Alchemy made it even easier for population to remain physically healthy at least.

The Dungeon helped a lot of the more angry Hunters and Stone Ranked civilians release some tension and frustration. This made it less likely that the higher ranked individuals would retaliate against their weaker counterparts when situations became tense.

There also seemed to be decreased mental health issues with Stone Rankers as well. While some had become more bloodthirsty and anxious to kill Monsters, the majority of those with depression, anxiety, and mood swings tended to level out. The population as a whole also seemed to be grieving faster and in healthier ways than was expected.

Many people with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and anemia seemed to bounce back and make nearly miraculous recoveries. The Lore was silent on the issue and the people were divided on whether it was because the majority of their food was Monster meat as most of then processed foods were already gone or if it was because of magic.

Either way, Granite City was struggling to hold itself together. And, no one felt it harder than the mediocre Hunters, those who had just enough to be seen as those who "have" to the regular civilians while not really having enough so they seemed more like those who "have nots" to the primary hunters of the Zone.

Two such Hunters were strolling away from their party who had just failed their first attempt at a full party run of the Dungeon.

One was the Elf named Diana and the other was the Bird Beast-kin, Sky.

Diana's soft brown hair was tousled because she kept running her fingers through it nervously, a habit she retained from being human.

Sky was no better, preening his light blue face feathers gently. It was a new habit he had picked up upon choosing the Title Race, Roc-kin. Despite the blood pouring from his leg, all Sky could do was fret over his poor performance in the run. He was so fixated on it, he didn't even notice that his leg buckled until he was falling.

Diana was fast, bending down and placing one of Sky's arm wings around her neck. They stumbled together towards the front door, Safe Zone staff already clearing the way for the Hunters to exit the Town Hall so they could head towards the central healing tent.

"How in the Hell did you fall ON Creek Shadow's axe? And quit your fretting. You know it makes you molt." Diana chided her teammate playfully.

"I wasn't the one who slammed into me so I fell into her. Mike always seems to fly higher than anyone else when he gets kicked out of the Dungeon. And you know I can't help it. It's not my fault my damn Title Race changed my normal nervous ticks into preening and molting. Either way, thanks for taking me to the medical tent."

"Yeah, yeah, bird brain. We're almost there. Hang on tightly. Besides, if the best teams in the Zone can't clear the dungeon, how can we expect to?" Diana asked reasonably. "Even those marvelous Hunters who gave us our Skill Orbs are rumored to have only made it to the Boss in solo runs and have only cleared two and a half hallways as a group." Diana blushed softly at Sky's gratitude. Her return statement had the desired effect. Through the pain and nerves, she saw a small grin cross his face. She didn't know a bird could smile like that, but was glad to see it.

"I know. I totally expected to find them holding the record, too." Sky said, his voice lighter.

As they walked across the open ground, they passed a booth that used to be a rations station. It had disappeared for a while, but it had returned and was manned by a Minotaur who could not have been the same man as before. He was short, broad, clad in black fur and tall horns. He had a human face, not one of a cow like the Monsters. He even had brown eyes, not red.

Both Sky and Diana failed to fight a cringe. The Minotaur noticed. Yet, instead of a return scowl, he smiled at them. He also gave them a small wave. He tipped his head towards a red skinned woman behind him who was frying meat on a grill.

"Yo yo, come check us out after you get patched up. Radiance has a little bit of everything."

Diana waved back. "We just might." Then her and Sky looked at each other before shrugging.

Sky spoke quietly. "Is that a new shop? I didn't think they allowed that."

Diana tipped her head in another shrug. "There was one of those glass panels we see everywhere on the table. Has to be something. We will check it out. Whatever that Fae lady is making smells wonderful."

The healers' tent was a tent no longer. A large, square building stood in it's place. Both Sky and Diana scowled and stopped before the double doors.

"It has to be the place. It still has the sign." Diana said, pointing to the red plus symbol above the door.

"Better let me go in and sit, even if it's not. I'm still bleeding. Her damn bleed effect on those... she has to be super lucky to have gotten them off of one of Stone Rankers in her solo run."

Diana nodded and pushed the double doors inward. They opened easily. "She was very lucky. I haven't heard of one person who has gotten a weapon drop, let alone one with a status effect. I really want a new spear with something like that though."

The healers' building was pretty large and open with a front area demarcated by dividers. There were more dividers throughout the room too. As all of the injured had been healed completely after the Wave, they currently weren't giving anyone the privacy they were meant for. There were only two attendants visible and they looked to be busy, but not with healing anyone.

"What happened here?" The tall Elf man asked. He was wiry with a dark complexion. His hair and eyes were a complimentary silver. His eyes turned green as he approached Sky. "I see, a pretty deep cut and you have a bleeding debuff." He looked over at the Fae woman with olive skin and deep black hair. "I'll need you to heal him after I do. It's a nasty one and we will have to out last it. Do you have enough Mana, Fi?"

Fi nodded her head, her smile reaching her amber eyes. "I'm full too. Go ahead, Pat."

Pat assisted Sky to a nearby bed, the Roc-kin complaining the whole way. Fi turned to Diana.

"Anything we should know that we might not be able to see? Poisons? Other magic?"

Diana shook her head. "Nah. Just the bleed. Our rouge's axe has an enchantment. He just has a low health pool and we didn't want to use a potion since we were so close to the station."

Fi nodded and turned to watch the other healer as his hands glowed a soft white before he touched Sky's wound.

In Diana's vision, the image of Sky's HP bar started to slowly increase from a shockingly low forty percent. The wound closed equally slowly.

Sky let out a sigh of relief and tipped his head back, his pain easing under the healing touch.

"You guys are a team, right? No healer?" Pat asked, looking up at Sky.

Sky blushed and looked away, embarrassed. "No. We do. I'm a battle healer. All of my skills can heal me and my party members, but only if I am attacking or blocking attacks."

"He does a great job, too. It's not because of your healing that we died, doofus. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Diana scolded Sky.

"That's better than no healing. Maybe next time, have a party member strike at you and you block it with your Skill active. At least one time so your health isn't so low when you get here." Fi said as she knelt down next to Sky and took over for Pat. Her hands glowed blue.

Pat stood and stepped over by Diana. While Sky nodded frantically and promised Fi he would do better, Diana turned to Pat.

"What's with that booth over there?" She gestured towards the door. "Wasn't it a rations station before?"

"Oh. You mean Radiance. Yes. It's still that, only they make a profit now, too. Normally, I'd scoff at the situation but we know the owners and their profit margins are very slim and fair. Most of the stuff they sell goes for cheaper than at the System Shop and they pay more when you sell to them too, so I say check it out." Pat said.

When Sky stood, his leg completely healed, Fi walked back over to the counter and stuck out a hand. "That will be one silver or two Mana Chips, please."

"Only two?" Sky asked, making a blue and black chip appear from the pouch at his side. "I'm not complaining, but why so cheap? Didn't the Safe Zone say you could charge more depending on the service. You did save my life, I'm pretty sure."

Fi smiled. "We promised to do our best to help the citizens of Granite City. Two is plenty for allowing us to use our Skills on you. At least while barrier is up. We won't see another patient for a while."

"That's an awesome promise. I wish more medical professionals were like that before the crash." Diana said, adding two more Mana Chips as a tip for the healers. They could afford it. Sky even gave a slight nod to her as he walked over to her.

"Thank you for you help." Sky said. "If you ever need anything from me, I'll owe you one."

Fi and Pat looked at each other then looked back, shaking their heads.

"If I hadn't been given help, I wouldn't even be a healer right now. Just pay it forward and stop Monsters from eating us and we'll be square." Fi said, smiling and exposing her sharp teeth.

Pat added "oh, and really, shop at Radiance. It will help the guy who helped us."

They waved their goodbyes and the two healers went back to chatting as the hunters walked back out of the makeshift clinic.

"I wonder who helped them?" Diana said.

"I want to know where that beautiful healer Elf woman is. She's so pretty." Sky said, closing his eyes in mourning.

Diana chuckled and elbowed him playfully. "I've seen her. She is pretty and a great healer. I wonder if she joined a team. Last I heard, she was on leave to train after the wave."

Looking up at the sign over the Radiance booth, what had to be the very last poster board available in the Safe Zone was hung. It spelt the shops name in bright colors with childish drawings around the edges. The letters looked like they had to be made by different people as they were all pretty different in style. If Sky and Diana had to guess, the whole sign was drawn by children.

A customer left, making space for the pair to approach. On the far end of the booth, a different line had formed. The same Elf Sky had been whining about missing was handing out rations to a line of Normal Rankers along with another blonde Elf with a bob cut. The people who received the boxed meals looked longingly at the red skinned woman who was cooking but took their meals before leaving.

"Welcome. Go ahead and touch the pad. I can answer any questions you may have." The Minotaur from earlier said invitingly.

Sky did that, smiling and nodding. The man seemed friendly enough. He kept sneaking glances at the healer Elf as a window almost identical to the one at the System Shop opened. The only difference being the low quantity of inventory.

Diana looked at the list and was a little confused. It was mostly random monster parts, metal and cloth armor, stone weapons, and potions. There were also the meals the Fae woman was cooking. True to the healers words, the prices were better than the shops. It was the other prices by the food that confused her.

They could buy a meal that increased their stamina regeneration for four hours for the price of five Mana Chips or fifteen copper coins, unlike the System shop which only sold raw monster meat for coins. She could also buy Mana chips too. She looked at the Minotaur, smiling.

"I can really by ten Mana Chips for ten silver coins worth of Monster Meat or Seasoning Herb?"

The Minotaur smiled and nodded. "Yep. We only trade Chips for food materials, the rest costs coins. We decided to try and help the less fortunate hunters while also providing decent food for the Normal Ranked crafters."

They both bought a meal with Mana Chips. The rest of the goods were nothing special, but they were at least equivalent to what they could have gotten from the System Shop. So, they passed on getting anything else for now. Instead, they moved out of the way. They each wanted to try the meat skewer they had purchased.

Fresh out of their inventories, where the sticks had been transferred directly, the full pound of meat was seasoned lightly and still steaming. They tentatively took a bite, pulling a hunk off the end. After chewing for long moments, they looked at each other.

"Wow. It's great." Sky said, eating faster.

"So good!" Diana said, a hand on her cheek in joy.

As one they said "we need to tell the others."