Azure: Gunner

The occasional fluctuations in density of ambient mana remain poorly understood. It is clear that such fluctuations occur more frequently in some areas than in others, while some seem to remain completely stable. The only known phenomenon which causes long-term mana stability is the existence of a stable dungeon nearby, yet many regions report little to no long-term shifts in mana density without the benefit of a dungeon.

In the past, it was speculated that only such regions would eventually give birth to a stable dungeon, but this theory was put to rest when the dungeon now located within the Arcadia State Penitentiary appeared in a region historically known for regular mana fluctuations. To this day, it remains unknown what exactly causes the shift in mana density.

- Rufus Veres, Level 29 Prolix Historian, Oddities of the System

The rest of the day was exhausting but uninteresting. We encountered a few more monsters while in the Tier 2 zone, but each time the senior Delvers fought them while keeping us safely back, even when we found a couple of Level 8 vultures feasting on a carcass. Mason kept pushing the pace, and we ate a lunch of trail rations while we walked, with only a brief stop to refill our canteens from one of Block’s waterskins.

With the day getting hotter and no extended breaks, the exhaustion started to catch up with us. Zaire and Elin, with less stamina than Raylan or me, began to struggle keeping up the pace. At Mason’s instruction, Vale cast a stamina buff on us. It felt like the rush of energy I’d gotten from drinking a Jet, but all at once instead of spread out.

The next thirty minutes practically flew by as we set an even faster pace than before, but it didn’t last forever. After an hour we were losing speed again. Fortunately, Hassan told us the edge of the zone was getting close and we’d be back to Tier 1 ambient again soon. It wasn’t long before I started to feel the constant pressure of the mana on me lessening, though I was the only one of the recruits that noticed for a few minutes.

Once I felt the last of the pressure vanish, I asked Mason if we could stop for a rest. He replied that we were getting close to the campground and he didn’t want us to stop now, though he did reduce the pace a bit.

<Mason! I need you now, 1.5 miles north-north-east! Trio of Tier 3 warp cats!>

I’d never heard Hassan sound rattled before. The Archer always seemed to be cool and collected, but this time there was obvious stress in his voice. Mason didn’t even look back as he accelerated so fast his clawed feet sprayed dirt out behind him.

<Vale, Block – turtle up with the kids, now!> he ordered even as he blurred over a small hill and disappeared.

We took up a defensive formation, weapons out, and waited tensely for several minutes. I couldn’t see or hear anything out of the ordinary, which made the whole situation feel a bit surreal to me.

<All right, the threat is eliminated,> Mason’s voice was a relief and we all relaxed a bit. <There shouldn’t have been anything this strong nearby, though, so Hassan and I will go scout the campsite together. Get moving and meet us there but don’t rush. Stay alert.>

Block moved out ahead of us to take Mason’s usual spot in our formation, while Vale brought up the rear by herself. We followed the road cautiously, all on high alert, for maybe fifteen minutes. As we came over a small hill, I spotted Mason standing about a hundred yards to the north side of the road. There was a small flat area protected on one side by what had to be a remnant wall – not a building, just a single wall of grey bricks about twenty yards long and ten feet or so high.

As we approached Mason, I noticed some of the same signs of battle we’d seen earlier in the day. There were scorch marks on the remnant, and some of the bricks were chipped and cracked. More burned areas were scattered around the perimeter of the flat grey slab of rock at the base of the wall. I smelled ash in the air.

Mason looked at us seriously for a moment, then turned to Vale. <Is it safe to give them another does of stamina?> he asked curtly.

The dwarf thought for a moment, then nodded. <If you think it’s necessary, I’ll do it. They’re not at risk from two casts, as long as they get to sleep tonight.>

<What’s going on? We’re not stopping?> Raylan beat me to the question.

<Follow me,> Mason said, turning and walking past the end of the wall. When we caught up to him, we saw a couple of boulders sitting against the other side of the wall. On one of them, there was a series of seven crosses painted in red, and above them, three more – these were painted black on the outside and gold on the inside. In front of the boulders was another smouldering pile of ashes. Block stopped so suddenly that I almost ran into him.

<What do those symbols mean?>

<The Army was attacked here while they camped last night,> Mason replied grimly. <They killed seven of their assailants, but they lost three soldiers.> He indicated first the red, then the black and gold crosses respectively.

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<More Tier 3 monsters?> I asked nervously, exchanging worried glances with the other recruits. I hoped that none of the soldiers we’d gotten to know were the ones that had been killed…

<No, Azure, not monsters. If it had been monsters, the red symbols would be different – crosses mean they were attacked by people.>

<People?!> I asked in shock, my voice mixing with similar questions from Zaire and Raylan.

<Not just people, people who were willing to take on a group of more than twenty soldiers plus their recruits. Most of the soldiers were low-to-mid Tier 2, and of course Captain Rivers who is formidable even for a Tier 3. I doubt the attackers were fewer in number than the soldiers. Either way, they were driven off – if the attackers won, there wouldn’t be any memorial crosses. And we might have run into them still camped here licking their wounds.>

<They came from the north,> Hassan added. <Attacked around the flanks of the wall, almost certainly under cover of darkness. I would guess that most or all of the soldiers killed were those on watch, but clearly the alarm was raised and the soldiers rallied quickly.>

I looked around and spotted him standing another hundred yards further north.

<They might not have known what they were getting into,> he continued. <If they approached from this direction, they would have only been able to see the sentries who were on guard. They might have underestimated the size or Tier of the patrol.>

Mason grunted in acknowledgement. <Doesn’t matter now. The point is, there’s most likely surviving raiders somewhere about, not to mention those warp cats earlier. I didn’t expect to see any Tier 3s south of the foothills. It’s not a good idea for us to make camp here tonight. We’re less than eight miles from Arcadia. I want to push on straight to the city.>

<Give me a minute and I’ll get them perked up,> Vale said, and began casting her stamina buff again.

Freshly energized, we made our way back around the wall, and I noticed something that had escaped my attention before – a glint of metal on the ground. I bent over and picked up a brass cylinder about as thick as my middle finger and half as long. It’s a pistol cartridge, I think, but it’s bigger than anything I’ve seen before…

Block nodded in acknowledgment as I held it up for him to see.

<High-caliber pistol round, looks like. There’s a bunch of them scattered around. Maybe someone’s backup weapon, or possibly some of the attackers had non-combat Classes.>

I played with that thought as we moved back to the road and returned to a brisk pace. Whoever shot this probably didn’t have a Class for it, or they’d be using conjured ammo like me. Either way, I wouldn’t want to get hit by something like this!

The mood was somber as we continued, moving due east now. The sun was getting low in the sky behind us, stretching my shadow out in front of me as I walked. I finished the last of my water in my second canteen, and Mason allowed another very brief stop to refill them when he saw that Zaire and Elin were out as well. I was beginning to understand why everyone carried so much water now, there certainly wasn’t any to be found out here.

A few miles later, I spotted a set of tall, dark walls rising into view, but I was puzzled by their size. Either the walls were massively tall, or they weren’t very wide. They also seemed to be a bit far to the north considering where the road was taking us.

<That’s the prison,> Mason informed us when I asked. <ASP, they call it – Arcadia State Prison. Nasty place. The town is a bit further on.>

<Why would anyone build a prison out here, Swordmaster?>

<It’s built around a stable dungeon. It was discovered seventy or eighty years ago and they eventually figured out that you can mine mana crystals in it, but it’s back-breaking work. Instead of doing the logical thing and hiring Miners, someone decided it would be killing two birds with one stone to set up a prison and make the prisoners mine the dungeon. I think it’s Tier 2, so they can send anyone from Tiers 1 to 3 in there.>

It wasn’t long before we could see the actual town walls, south and east of the prison. The road took us straight towards the town, with another road branching off to reach the prison. I was happy to slow down as Zaire and Elin started to run out of stamina, glad that I wasn’t the worst off of the group. I’m really, really glad these boots fit me so well, otherwise I’m sure I’d have blisters right now. We must have walked almost thirty miles today!

The sun was just barely above the horizon when we drew close to the gate, which was closed. When Mason shouted at the Guards to open it, there was a brief argument, but I was too far away and too tired to make out the words. From Hassan’s wince, I’m sure he and Mason at least heard everything perfectly. After a minute, one of the gates cranked slowly open, and we slipped through the thick walls into Arcadia.

Inside, we were met by a Squad of Guards, whose eyes went wide as they looked at Mason. I assumed it was because of his Tier, but some of them were also looking at his legs and tail and frowning. Before we even said anything, a voice shouted down from the top of the walls.

“Stand aside men, they’re not escapees!”

“How do you know that, Sarge? This one’s a mutie, like most of the cons!”

“Because, you idiot, there aren’t any Tier 4s in ASP! And none of the Tier 0s escaped!”

Muttering, the guards parted, allowing us through. Well, I guess we know who attacked the Army – it must have been a group of escaped prisoners!

Arcadia seemed to be about the same size as East Bank, maybe a little bigger, though there were more one-story buildings as well. Mason led us straight to an inn, where we finally got to sit and rest while we devoured a hearty dinner and listened to the townsfolk gossip around the bar. Everyone was talking about the escape, which had apparently only happened a few days ago, and the attack on the Army troops last night.

Mason and Vale ate in a hurry, and then the two of them departed while the rest of us were still halfway through our food. Hassan arranged our rooms once we’d finished eating, and by the time the innkeeper had taken us to them I was barely able to stay on my feet. The recruits were all sharing a room again, this one with two bunk beds. I didn’t bother arguing with Elin when she demanded the bottom bunk, I just stored my armor and crawled into the top one with the last of my strength.