Tess's eyes snapped open.

Need to get the adults to agree to training.

She rolled out of her bedroll and sprang to her feet. She ran a hand through her dirty hair, and her fingers almost became stuck in the tangles.

I'd kill for a hot shower.

The sun had barely crept over the horizon. The camp was bathed in a grayish half-light, but Tess was wide awake. The need to take action thrummed through her like an electric current.

Tess strode purposefully between the campfires and made her way toward the rows of small Shacks. She dodged sleepy-eyed settlers stumbling toward the latrine ditches or huddling around cookfires. The scent of roasting meat wafted on the breeze, but Tess ignored her rumbling stomach. There was no time. She had to make them understand, and make them agree. And she didn't have much time; her father was dragging them out on another expedition that day.

She rounded the corner and found the Shack which had been given to Mike and Jill. They shared the small space with a few other members of Group Two. Mike and Jill were loading packs outside the door, and some provisions and weapons leaned against a tree stump nearby.

Tess greeted them. "Can I bug you guys for a minute? I was thinking we could run some drills later today or tomorrow, and work on tightening up our formation. I just think we could be much better prepared."

Mike and Jill exchanged a glance.

"Sorry Tess," Mike said. "We can't today, and probably not tomorrow either. Supplies need restocking, so we're providing security for the [Gatherers]. Your Dad's orders."

"Mike, this is important! Besides Tom, you're the only other tank that I trust. Training has got to be . . . " Tess clenched her fists. "Well, it's more important than berries and mushrooms. We have to be ready. The Dungeons—"

"The Dungeon HERE, is dead," Jill cut in, "thanks to you and your family."

"One Dungeon is dead. What about the others? What about whatever spawned those Trolls, or the Goblins? They came from somewhere. And apparently there are big scary Spiders somewhere to the north."

Tess stopped when the Shack door swung open and Richard stepped out, scowling. He was still putting on his coat and mittens.

"Damn kid, the Sun's barely up. What's with the early morning volume? Some of us have to sleep on the floor of these [Crappy Shacks], not some lordly bed."

"What?!" Tess spluttered. "My family still sleeps outside so others can have a house, you jackass!"

Richard walked away, muttering to himself.

"All right!" Mike said. "We're all crabby, but this isn't helping." He shouldered his pack. "Like it or not, Tess, gathering supplies keeps this Settlement running, and your Dad's in charge. The patrols Bridget set up will keep an eye out for trouble. In the meantime, we've got a job to do. Figure it out with your Dad, and we're all for it."

With that, Mike and Jill strode off toward the waiting [Gatherers] at the edge of camp. Priya was among them, saying a quiet goodbye to Tushar. At least someone among them still remembered the inherent danger of their situation; that each expedition could be their last.

But most of them didn't get it. Defeating the Dungeon wasn't the end; it was just the beginning. More would come, Tess was sure of it: Trolls; Goblins; giant Spiders . . .

On the rare occasions that Tess could get Chloe in a talking mood, Tess would listen intently as Chloe talked about games she had played in the past. Based on that knowledge, Chloe would identify similarities with their own situation, and would explore her working theories with Tess.

All theories basically led to more horrors lurking in the dark.

Horrors the settlers were woefully unprepared for.

They were treating this like a camping trip; more focused on stockpiling and building than on learning how to fight.

At least we'll all be fat when the monsters eat us.

Tess took a shaky breath. She couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't. If she had to drag every last settler out of bed and beat the reality of their situation into their heads, so be it.

Tess strode purposefully through the camp, her boots crunching on the frozen muddy ground.

She spotted a group of kids from training, sitting in a circle and laughing as they ate their breakfast.

"Hey Tess!" called out one of the children, she wore a bright pink jacket and spoke in a high-pitched, squeaky voice.

"Hey, guys. I need you to introduce me to your parents. It's important."

The kids exchanged glances, then shrugged and led her to their families.

Tess put on her most winning smile as she approached the first set of parents—a tall White couple.

"Hi there! I'm Tess. I've been working with your kids on some basic defense training."

The parents nodded politely.

"They're doing great! Erm, I was hoping I could maybe interest everyone in your families in joining training? We could just start with a few hours, and see how it goes from there?"

The conclusion was that—while they appreciated the offer—they were going to focus on their professions, and on securing one of the upcoming Shacks.

Tess gritted her teeth and moved on to the next family, and the next.

Each interaction ended in failure.

Frustration bubbled in Tess's chest with every forced smile, and with every dismissive wave.

Finally, something in Tess snapped. She whirled on the last family, her voice sharp as a whip crack.

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"Do you understand what's at stake here? Those monsters are going to respawn in four days! What happens if they attack and we're not here? What if we're out on an expedition and we don't make it back?"

Tess stepped forward, her eyes boring into the startled faces before her.

"Could you protect your family, right here, right now, if you had to? Because I guarantee there's a whole lot of monsters out there just waiting for a chance at them."

Silence rang in the wake of her outburst.

Tess stood, her chest heaving, and allowed her words to hang in the air like a challenge.

The rail-thin White woman in front of her looked at her child, then slowly met Tess's gaze. "What do we do?"

Tess almost sagged in relief. "Training. Real training. We're heading out on an expedition, but I'm setting up sessions for the moment we get back. Please, tell everyone you can."

The brown-skinned father placed a stocky arm around his partner.

The mother nodded. "We'll be there."

As she walked away, resolve settled over Tess like armor. She'd done it. The first step. Her father would be furious about losing building time, but . . .

Tess shook her head. He'd come around. He had to.

She moved onto the next campfire and spat out the same argument, reminding herself eerily of Blake. It didn't matter: another family agreed to train.

Tess smiled to herself. This was just the beginning.

*****

The expedition group set out, their footsteps crunching over the frozen terrain as they made their way back to the Quarries.

Tess walked at the rear. Her brain whirred, and strategies and formations flickered through her mind.

"Ugh, this is so boring," Amber said, kicking at a loose stone. "We're never going to level at this rate. I thought this place was supposed to be crawling with Goblins."

Tess glanced at her. "Don't jinx it. We should be grateful for the quiet. Barely anyone at camp could survive a fight."

The three-hour walk was uneventful.

After about an hour of quarrying, a sweaty Steve jogged up to Tess and her father.

"Hey, so, we're making good progress. Several of the people here have been in a few scrapes and are Level 2. Jeannie's on standby for healing. I think we can handle things here if you want to explore ahead."

Tess hesitated, torn.

"It's a good chance to follow that stream west," Bo said, nodding. "The territory is ours, but we don't even know who owns it. There are also resources we might find."

Tess met her father's gaze, registered the determined set of his jaw, and knew they were going—no matter what.

"You sure about this, Steve?" Tess asked.

Steve nodded. "Yeah, I've spoken with everyone. Mentally, we're a lot better prepared than last time."

"Okay," Tess said, finally. "But we should do a quick sweep of the area first. I don't want any surprises sneaking up on the Quarry or Mine."

The Robinsons and Damascus's formed up and moved out, following the winding bank of the stream.

Tess fell into step beside Amber. Amber was buzzed with pent-up energy, her eyes darting to every shadow.

Tess leaned toward her and kept her voice low.

"We're gonna pick a day to start cross-training the groups. I have several adults who agreed to join in. We get them practicing formations, working on small unit tactics, stuff like that. Keep it on the downlow till I tell my Dad. You in?"

Amber shot her a sideways smile. "You know I am, but your Dad's gonna be pissed."

"I know, and I don't care. This is just as important as any other chore or building." Tess kicked a branch out of her path, her frustration rising again. "The only way I got any of the adults to agree was because I scared them into it. I need to get people excited to train, to see the value in it. If they don't train—"

"Game over."

They were silent as they picked their way along the forest floor. They'd left the distant clink of Pickaxes behind, and the only sound was the burbling stream.

"What about a leader board?" Amber said suddenly. "You know, make a competition out of it. Track everyone's progress. Maybe earn contribution points or something, since training makes you better suited to help defend the town?"

Tess blinked. A smile crept across her face. "Amber, that's brilliant!"

Ideas were spinning now. Contribution points for patrols, training, and guard duty. Cross-group challenges to foster unity. Maybe they could earn reputation, or shelter, or other privileges?

For the first time in days, the knot in Tess's chest loosened as a plan began to form.

The group pressed on, following the rushing stream as it cut through dense thickets and rocky outcroppings.

Bars of sunlight pierced the leaves and reflected back from the snow and ice. Tess squinted against the glare.

"This is the end of my territory," Chloe said from up ahead. "My overhead map ends here."

"Looks like it's mine," said Hana. "I have a territory map now."

"Let's go check it out," Bo said.

They spent the next few hours combing the area. They jumped over knee-deep chilled streams and scrambled over boulders slick with ice. The landscape was a dizzying tangle of interconnected waterways, each one feeding into the next like a great, sprawling web.

As they neared the edge of a steep, slippery embankment, Tess caught a whiff of something rank and oily. She wrinkled her nose, peered over the edge, and froze.

Below them stretched a vast tar pit. Its surface was black and bubbling. Heat waves rose off the thick pool and melted the snow and ice nearby, turning the embankment into a muddy death trap. Giant, sun-bleached bones jutted from the mire; some were longer than Tess was tall.

"Holy shit," Kate said, holding her nose.

Tess swallowed hard. There was something down there. A monstrous shape slid around beneath the surface, displacing the tar in slow, oily swells.

It was big.

A sickening dread seized Tess. "We should go," she said, her voice rigidly controlled. "Now."

No one argued.

They backed away from the edge, and retraced their steps in grim silence until the tar pit was far behind them.

"I don't know what the hell that was," Bo said, "but the tar could be useful. I bet we could figure out a way to use it for torches, or as grease, or any number of things."

They had only explored a small portion of her Mom's territory, but they seemed to silently agree that they had been gone long enough. They turned back toward the Quarry and Mine.

On the walk back, Tess's Dad wouldn't shut up about the tar and its bajillion possible uses. She seethed quietly; once again everyone was focused on resources, and not on fighting the creatures guarding the resources. How did they expect to tackle a monster that size without any training?

When they arrived at the Mine, the [Miners] joined them with heavy Leather Packs stuffed with large chunks of Copper. Jeannie had found a very large and rich vein that they had been attacking all day.

The [Quarriers] had a good day as well; they proudly showed off their stacks of limestone bricks. Bo was ecstatic, and clapped several of them on the back.

As they started the long trek back to camp, Tess found herself falling into step beside Charlie. He had a far-off look in his eye, as if he were somewhere else entirely.

"You know," he said thoughtfully. "I taught history over at the community college. I would talk and talk and talk about ancient history. I would dream of the life those people must have lived." He peered at Tess. "You know what I've figured out?"

"What?"

"It sucks. My back is killing me."

Tess laughed; the sound of it surprised her. "When you taught, did you teach the students about wars?"

"Oh, yes," Charlie said, enthusiasm creeping into his voice. "The great battles of history, and the strategies and tactics that shaped the world as we know it. Take, for instance, the Romans . . . "

As Charlie ran through his lecture, his words painted vivid pictures in Tess's mind. She saw the gleaming lines of the Roman legion, their shields locked together in an impenetrable wall. What if the citizens of Raintree could protect each other in the same way, except with efficient use of magic and buffs?

"The key was discipline," Charlie was saying. "The ability to hold formation, and to function as a cohesive unit in the chaos of battle. That's what set the Romans apart."

Tess nodded slowly, her brain buzzing. Formations. Unit cohesion. Already, she needed to expand what she envisioned training to be. She was thinking too small with just group training. Yes, they had to train as a group, but then they needed the ability to merge several groups and have them fight as one unit. Or maybe, in larger battles, the tanks could group together and act as a spearhead? It was a lot to think about.

Tess peppered Charlie with questions as they walked, thirsty for every scrap of knowledge, every hard-won lesson from centuries past. The historian seemed to come alive, his eyes sparking with an almost boyish enthusiasm as he spoke on flanking maneuvers and shield walls, and on the great generals of antiquity and their legendary exploits.

By the time they reached the outskirts of camp, Tess's mind was awhirl with training plans. It would take time, and no small amount of sweat and sacrifice.

But they would be ready. When the monsters came again—which, of course, they would—they wouldn't be a bunch of frightened survivors. They would be a force to be reckoned with.

A Raintree army.

That night, Tess found her father by the Smelters. His face was lit by a wide grin and by the ruddy glow of molten Copper. He slapped the backs and shook the hands of the [Miners] as they examined their haul.

"Would you look at that," he crowed, hefting a fist-sized nugget. "Jeannie's a genius!"

Tess waited for a lull in the celebratory chatter before stepping forward. "Dad, I need to talk to you." Her tone was a little sharper than she intended.

Her Dad handed off the nugget and nodded for her to follow. He led them a short distance away from the bustling [Smelters].

"What's up?"

Tess took a deep breath. "I've arranged for training for everyone. Kids and adults. Exact day to be decided, but before the Dungeon respawns."

Bo's eyebrows shot up. "Training? Tess, we talked about this. We need every able body focused on shelter, on food. We can't spare—"

"We can't not spare them." Tess's voice was tight. "Dad, if those things come back . . . if we're not ready . . . "

She swallowed hard.

"We'll die," she said flatly. "All of us. You don't see it, or don't want to see it, but I'm not going to let that happen. The only argument that seems to get through to anyone is 'what if we weren't here during a wave'? Maybe Group Two would be okay, but what about the other 400 people here? Can you even name some other people you would trust to defend the town?"

Bo opened his mouth to argue. Then he sighed heavily, and dragged a hand down his face.

"Tess, I understand where you're coming from. Believe me, I do. But we're barely scraping by as it is. If we divert manpower . . . "

"One day," Tess pressed. "One day, just to start and see how it goes. That's all I'm asking."

She stared at Bo unflinchingly, her jaw set.

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant clamor of the Smelters, and the hiss of cooling Copper.

Finally, Bo let out a long, slow breath.

"All right," he said quietly. "All right, Tess. We still need to scout the area for resources. But I'll give you the day before the Dungeon respawns to get people prepared. You make sure you have plans, and that you're ready to actually train these people. If you're taking up their time, you better make sure it's worth it."

Tess nodded, relief and gratitude welling up in her chest. "Thanks, Dad. I'll be ready."

Tess sat near the Smelters, and her mind shifted into high gear. She mapped out training regimens, and envisioned drills and formations.

Tess's father and the [Smelters] worked late into the night. The glow from the smelting fires painted the camp in shades of orange and red. Makeshift Ingot molds were carved into logs, and the melted Copper metal was poured into them. The Ingots were then handed off to someone that Bridget had convinced to be some type of [Minter]. They used heat and tools to form the Ingots into rough and ready Copper Coins.

Bo did a little dance as he shook a bag full of newly minted Raintree Coppers.

Tess smiled at her Dad, then decided to call it a night. She had a lot to prepare for.

Goal achieved.

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