NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 96: Day 5 : Contracts
Atlas scanned the settlement, his eyes narrowed with determination. The early morning sun cast long shadows across the ground, and the air was filled with anticipation. The day ahead would be crucial—one that could tip the balance in their favour if everything went according to plan.
"John," Atlas called out, as he approached. "How’s the settlement doing?"
John, who had been overseeing the morning preparations, took a moment to consider his response. Things had been tense because of Snedlie last night, but the group was holding up. They had faced worse and come out stronger on the other side. Still, there were cracks—small, and hopefully soon fixed. "It’s not too bad," John finally said, with a smile. "Great, actually."
Atlas nodded, although he wasn’t entirely convinced by John’s words. He could see the weariness in his eyes, the weight of the decisions they had to make daily. "Good. We’re going out today, but we’ll be splitting the teams up. We need to find that dungeon."
John’s brow furrowed slightly. "Splitting up? That’ll thin out our numbers…"
"I know," Atlas replied, his tone firm. "But it’s the only way. I’ll have Amber keep an eye on the crafters while we’re out. There aren’t many of them left. With Snedlie on latrine duty, we’re down to five. If we take out two for scouting, that leaves us with just three."
John nodded in agreement. "And you’re not taking anyone from the porters?"
"No," Atlas confirmed. "The porters are staying here today. We need them fresh for when we actually find the dungeon. They can help the crafters with the helmets. The team is going to break into pairs for scouting. We need to cover as much ground as possible, and I’ll go solo."
John raised an eyebrow at that. "Going alone? You sure about that, Atlas?"
Atlas smirked. "I work better alone sometimes. Besides, I need to hit the areas that are too far for the others. If I find something, I’ll signal. Same goes for them."
John didn’t like it, but he knew better than to argue. Atlas was one of the best, and if anyone could handle being out there alone, it was him. "Alright, just be careful. We can’t afford to lose anyone, especially not you."
"Don’t worry about me," Atlas said, clapping John on the shoulder.
With that, Atlas turned to address the group, who were gathered and ready to move out. "Alright, everyone," he began, his voice cutting through the morning air. "Today’s mission is simple: find that dungeon. We know it’s out there somewhere, and it’s our job to locate it. We’re splitting into pairs for scouting. Stay sharp, and if you find anything, signal with your flares. Green for found it, red for if you need help. Got it?"
The group responded with a unified "Got it!" Their faces were a mix of determination and nerves. They knew the stakes—this dungeon could hold the key to their survival.
Atlas then reached into his pack and pulled out a stack of papers. "One more thing before we head out," he said, waving the papers in the air. "These are your new Portal Crusher contracts."
"Contracts?" Evelynh asked, stepping forward with a puzzled look. "What’s this about?"
"The old contracts we signed don’t make much sense here, do they?" Atlas joked, earning a few chuckles. "We’re not making anything from the arenas right now. So, I had these prepared. From now on, what you hunt will be yours. The terms are simple: 50% goes to the settlement. If you bring porters with you, they get 10%. The crafters will also get 10%."
Alexander, ever the outspoken one, couldn’t help but chime in. "Holy shit, you’re taxing us!"
Knowing this would be an awkward chat, Alexander took a swig from his flask, savoring the warmth of the whiskey as it burned down his throat. He let out a contented sigh, glancing over at Atlas.
"You know," he began, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, "there are only two things I can’t stand in this world: bad whiskey and damn taxes."
Atlas chuckled, shaking his head. "You’ve mentioned that a few times, Alexander. What is it about taxes that grinds your gears so much?"
Alexander grimaced, taking another swig. "They just take and take, never giving anything worth a damn in return. Back home, they’d waste our hard-earned cash on the most ridiculous crap. What a load of bull."
Atlas shook his head, a wry smile on his face. “Yeah, I hate taxes in the real world too. They just suck money out of the working population and spend it on garbage.”
Alexander, always ready with a gripe, chimed in. “Yeah, in my hometown, they spent 1.2 million on a pile of shiny steel balls called art,” he complained, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “They looked like a pile of sheep shit all stacked up.”
“For real?”
Alexander laughed, tipping his flask in their direction. "Damn right it was real. And I’ll tell you what, if I could pay my taxes in pictures of shiny sheep shit, maybe I wouldn’t hate 'em so much. But until then, they can keep their hands off my cash."
Atlas couldn’t help but laugh.
“Hell, if they wanted to spend a million bucks on balls, they could’ve had as many pictures of mine as they wanted.”
“Hah!” Atlas laughed, shaking his head at Alexander’s crude humour.
“But here’s the thing—we need better weapons, better food…
At this the team cheered
….better housing, and more importantly, better defences. John and I thought it’d be a good idea to actually reward the fighters who bring in the most coins. So think of it as a bonus of 30% that you can spend on whatever creature comforts that you want. Not a 70% tax. Makes sense, right?" Atlas said
Alexander grumbled, but he couldn’t argue with the logic. "Alright, when you put it that way…"
Atlas handed out the system enforced contracts, watching as each member quickly scanned the terms. Satisfied, he nodded and began to organise the pairs. "Alright, let’s split you guys into teams of two. Remember, the goal is to find that dungeon. Once you find it, fire one of your flares. Got it?"
"Got it," they echoed again, the team was eager to get out there.
"Portal Crushers on three," Atlas called out, raising his hand. "Three, two, one—Portal Crushers!"
The group responded with a roar, their spirits lifted as they headed out in different directions. Atlas watched them go, a sense of pride swelling in his chest. This was their day—no, their moment. They would find that dungeon, and when they did, they’d be ready for whatever lay inside.
Atlas watched as the team dispersed into pairs, each member pairing off with a determined look in their eyes. This wasn't just another day of survival—this was a day to push forward, to find the elusive dungeon that could change everything for them. As the adrenaline started to pulse through his veins, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride for his team. They'd come so far from the ragtag group that had first entered this harsh world. Now, they were a unit, battle-tested and ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.
Evelynh and Alexander teamed up, their banter already filling the air as they prepared to head out. Hank the Tank paired up with Wang Bo, the two of them nodding in silent agreement before setting off in a different direction. Wilfredo, with his sharp eye and quick reflexes, joined Isabella, the two of them strategizing as they walked away. Barbara, paired off with Stu, her calmness as a medic was a good match for his hot headedness
“Looks like it’s me and you.” Said John to Kingsley.
As the pairs moved out, Atlas stayed behind for a moment, watching their progress. John, who had stayed close by, walked up and stood beside him. "You really think we’ll find it today?" John asked, his voice laced with a mix of hope and scepticism.
Atlas didn't respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the retreating figures. "I hope so," he finally said. "But even if we don't, we'll keep searching until we do. This dungeon could be the key to everything we've been fighting for."
***
Love the book, and want to own a copy? Book One is available for sale on Amazon. It’s full of edits and pictures!