The revelation from Jamus was a big one.

So big we turned right back around to report what we'd learned to Jared.

Finding a coin on a kill this early in the trial meant the potential for massive earnings. It was also potentially a complication, as Jared so delicately explained when he heard the news.

"How are we going to distribute loot?"

It was a good question. In a battle it was sometimes nearly impossible to tell who killed what, or how many. So what would happen if someone looted a monster that just happened to drop either coin or even potentially a valuable item?

It was nearly impossible to do it. So, Jared proposed a factionwide warchest. Fighters who participated could earn points based on contribution. That's where it became complicated.

Since like I mentioned before, there really wasn't any true method. Or so I thought.

As it just so happened, there was a method of knowing just how much your efforts contributed to a single battle.

Levels and experience.

Everyone agreed it was flawed, but for now, it was the best anyone could think of.

So rules of engagements were set into place. Looting would happen post battle, and all items or UBC's would be kept within the "warchest" where they would be held for distribution.

Something told me we'd have to revisit it again, but it would work for now.

Along with the decision on loot, it was also decided that it would be absolutely essential that defenses were erected and improved through the duration of the trial in tandem with the teleporter. In true Jared fashion, teams were already being organized.

Thousands of skilled workers filled our faction and I knew Jared was going to squeeze the most out of each and every one of them. My skin prickled at the thought of what the next level to our faction was going to look like.

According to Jared, there were already a handful of standouts who were doing some incredible things.

Not the least of which was Stetson.

"So you're telling me, this thing is just a robot basically?" I asked Stetson, circling the eight foot tall iron creation.

Stetson admired his handy work, grimy arms folded over equally as filthy overalls and exposed wiry frame. "She 'aint a robot man. She's an iron golem, mana powered."

I eyed it. "It's pretty skinny for being a golem though isn't it? And how does the mana work anyway?"

For some reason, when Jared mentioned Stetson's creations as Golems, I pictured something…thicker. This thing was more like a silvery black skeleton without the ribs. Hardly more than a stick figure.

"She don't need to be thick, trust me. We get a bunch more of these and some roads, we'll have all the harvesters and haulers you could want." He slapped its iron leg with a dull clink.

"Are they hard to build?" Jared wondered.

"Not particularly." Stetson shrugged. "Just need the iron and some solid shards to give 'em life. The rest is just my molding skill, combined with au-to-ma-tion." Stetson drew out the word automation into its syllables, using his distinct hillbilly drawl.

"Wait, what's your class Stetson? I thought you were an excavator or something? What does molding have to do with that?"

"Sure did start that way. Only it aint all that fun doing all the diggin myself." He smiled with a twinkle in his eye. "Then I hit my evolution and saw the skills to build these little dandies to do all the hard work in the foreman class, and here we are."

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"How many can you build?" I asked.

"For now? Just ten. But, in three levels…"

"What happens in three levels?"

"He evolves again." Jared answered for him.

My eyes grew wide. "Already?"

Stetson puffed out his chest. "That's right. I'm 'bout to be this faction's first to the second evolution."

I opened my mouth to congratulate Stetson, when shouts echoed through the village. Stetson looked over my shoulder, glaring.

"How long?" I asked Jared.

"Around ninety minutes, like last time."

This was the third attack today. So far, we'd seen no real noticeable differences in size, strength or level of the chaos spawn that attacked and the frequency was fairly uniform.

I pursed my lips.

"Don't worry." Jared said, possibly guessing my thoughts. "This is a good thing. The attacks will get harder, we have a long way to go. Why don't we get the mine situation squared away so you and Mischief can go and have your fun?"

***

"They're like ground hogs."

"Yeah I guess. I'm really not sure how they built this place. It shouldn't have even been possible, even with magic."

Jared, Ellison and I, along with several others waited outside the stone slab that acted as the door into the tunnels holding Trasnik and his faction.

"What did you do last time?" Jared asked, resting his hand on the doorway.

I scratched my head. I wasn't really sure I wanted to tell them that I tried using a sword to pry it open, only to fall on my face when Trasnik opened it from the inside. I doubted my efforts had anything to do with Trasnik vacating the defenses anyway.

"Not really much." I coughed. "Trasnik just eventually showed up. I'm sure they have a way to tell that we're here."

Jared rested his hands on his hips. "So we just wait then?"

"TRASNIK!! COME OUT, WE JUST WANT TO TALK!" I flinched.

Alex's voice boomed and echoed across the high rock walls of the quarry.

Jared smacked Alex in the back of the head.

"Hey!" Alex complained.

"They can't understand you Alex! If they can see us, how do you think it looks if our biggest warrior is waving his arms and shouting at the top of his lungs?"

Alex shrank back folding his arms.

"I wasn't waving my arms." He grumbled.

I groaned, feeling annoyed. As if I hadn't already done enough harm the last time I was here. Typically cutting off someone's leg and threatening to kill their people is not considered the best start to a prosperous relationship.

I threw up a silent prayer, when the door finally slid free.

And behind it?

At least a hundred soldiers. In a way, they reminded me of our own soldiers. Some had chestplates, others greaves, most with at least helmets but not a single fighter had a full set.

None except for one.

Whether it was Trasnik or not was yet to be determined, but one thing was for sure, it was the same armor set. Or at least the chestplate was.

Jared was well aware of the deep purple shard fixed to the center of the burnt orange suit that looked dull in the shadow of the square cave. Dull or not, I knew first hand just how dangerous that shard could be for the members of our faction.

I steeled myself and stepped forward.

"Trasnik?!"

In response the man in front reached up, and smoothly removed the full helm, revealing what I'd rightly assumed.

"You're back." Trasnik's gruff voice carried easily, slightly amplified from the acoustics of the cave. "Come to finish what you started?"

His long dark hair fluttered lightly at a light breeze emanating from deeper within the cave. His pale skin seemed to glow slightly in the shadows, much like the others flanking him. Aggard referred to these cave dwellers as goblins but that wasn't the impression they gave me. I'd fought goblins already, these felt like something different altogether.

"Believe it or not, but I never intended to kill you."

Trasnik peered out of the cave. His eyes were calculating, assessing the retinue flanking me, paying special attention to Alex.

"You have an interesting way of showing that."

"You're fine aren't you? It was a mistake the first time I came here." I raised my hands exasperated. "I was sortsighted, and inexperienced. Still, I did what I thought was right and in the end we did get it right."

I pointed at him. "I owe that to you if I'm being honest. You helped set me straight. Even if you did piss me off a little at first."

To my surprise, Trasnik actually chuckled. "The guilty don't always like to hear the truth. You killed them then? The orc's holding your people hostage?"

I nodded.

"Most of them."

He raised an eyebrow.

"There were some who surrendered. We're…assimilating them—you might say."

Trasnik eyed me for several seconds. Then finally, he sighed, shoulders slumping.

"What a mess." He shook his head. "I'm guessing you're the reason our tunnels are crawling with Chaos Spawn?"

I nodded, and I heard him mutter "A damned scourge trial."

He looked back into his tunnel and shook his head again.

"You've forced our hand boy."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't think I can read? You need our stone, and we can't survive without your help."

A small item appeared in the palm of my hand, and Trasnik strained his eyes to see what I held.

"It could be worse." I said tossing him the item.

He caught it with ease and turned it over in his hand, eyes shining with greed. Without a word the resource upgrade token lit up, shimmering a faint green and lifting from Trasnik's hand.

His mouth fell open and his other hand moved mechanically, maybe navigating his status screen?

A notification appeared.

Congratulations! A new faction has joined yours.

The green shimmer expanded gradually until the entire quarry was bathed in a cloud of green mist. Glittering emerald snowflakes melted into the stone walls, absorbing into it like raindrops in a parched desert. All eyes watched in wonder as every inch of the shimmering mist was sucked away into the stone.

Congratulations! Marble quarry (common) has been upgraded to Replenishing Marble Quarry (uncommon)

I grinned. Trasnik couldn't hide the excitement from his face. "Now, since we're all friends now, maybe you could tell me about that little stone of yours?"

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