Denizens of the Labyrinth

Walking through the double door gate, Jazmel was afflicted with notifications.

DING

WELCOME LEADER

DING

CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING CLAIM!

HERE ARE YOUR REWARDS

MANA WAR CHEST X2

UPGRADE TOKEN X1

LAYOUT PROVISION X3

The system interface was no different to his own but now the faction showed up.

“BWF Outpost 0%” and he wondered what that meant. The gates opened up to a beleaguered cliff face which covered by jagged cliff rocks and the outpost was a robust tower which overlooked the area. To Jazmel, it reminded him of a lighthouse, and he thought about the prospects of it.

“Oh nice, a tower in the middle of nowhere.” Katie said and Jazmel couldn’t help but laugh himself. “I think it looks homely.” Gilmore said and Katie eyed him, suspiciously.

“The tower is just the default setting of it. you can change the outpost to look however you want it to look.” Baek offered and Jazmel nodded. “I got some rewards for gaining the leadership position.” Jazmel said so.

“I gained a layout provision and a Mana war chest, whatever that is.” Jazmel told them all and Baek nodded.

“Let’s get to it first and see what needs to be done.”

They made their way up the small path towards the tower, it would need to be repaired. It was missing steps and slate sheet lined either side. Jazmel wondered how long it had been since someone had been here.

The others were walking in pairs or groups and alone, Baek sidled beside Jazmel and for a moment it was silent.

“Young master.” He greeted him.

“You have grown quite strong in the time you were away.” Baek affirmed and Jazmel smiled at him.

“Still no master.” Jazmel countered and Baek merely offered his open palms.

“Yet look at all you have achieved in the few months you have been in the labyrinth?” Baek riposted and Jazmel had to agree back.

At this moment they walked through the broken entrance of the tower courtyard and Jazmel sighed at the needs of repairs. “Welcome!” a voice called, and a little flame of Mana appeared. It reminded Jazmel of the Igni sprite he had used in his first-tier tribulation.

“Welcome to the outpost!” the Mana sprite said and then forming into a small sprite, it burst into a violet colour.

“Hello,” Jazmel offered, a little apprehensive.

“Are you the new leader of this outpost?” the sprite asked him, and he nodded.

“Great! Welcome! Well come along, you need to connect with the central node.” The sprite whizzed through the air and the passed through the doors of the bottom of the tower and Jazmel had to run to catch up with it.

The courtyard was a mess of disrepair, disregard, and ruins. But he could see that it had potential and he had plans to figure out how to better the production of the outpost. But he wondered what he could do with it.

“Stay here a moment!” he shouted as he rushed to keep up with the sprite. He had to push hard on the doors to get through, they had been closed a long time and with some effort, he managed to create a small opening for himself.

As soon as he stepped into the darkened tower, the floor alit with his impression and though the ceiling was dark, he could see everything from the floor up. An array had been built into the ground with remarkable sophistication and he wondered who made this place. The array looked like a giant cog rotating within a clock and he watched it for a few seconds to see it move around. The sprite appeared beside him, and he waved it away in shock.

“Sorry! Didn’t mean to scare you.” It said and spinning it moved across the floor towards a throne, it looked like a throne. It was a raised seat, and, in a way, it reminded Jazmel of the seat that Frae sat upon and he wondered if it was anything.

“Where is the central node?” Jazmel asked and excitedly the Mana sprite flitted above the seat.

“Sit in the seat and then place your hand on the central mound. It will connect you and allow you to access the faction system from anywhere in the outpost.” The sprite giggled out.

He did as he was bid and taking seat, he placed his left hand on the central node and felt the connection form.

DING!

YOU HAVE CONNECTED WITH THE CENTRAL NODE!

…

WARNING

TIER I OUTPOST IS IN BAD SHAPE, WILL YOU REPAIR?

Y/N

The system explained and Jazmel looked at it.

“How do I make repairs?” he asked the sprite, and it whistled in happiness.

“You need to give it Mana essence!” it giggled before whirling in different patterns before Jazmel.

“Where do I get the Mana? My own?” Jazmel asked, suddenly worried about being drained.

“No! a faction needs Mana essence crystal. You can buy them or find them in the labyrinth.”

He thought about the war chest he had been rewarded with and pulled one out. The chest appeared before him and opening he saw five big crystals nestled in the bottom of the chest and immediately the sprite cheered.

“Yes!! Those would be helpful! Those are Mana essence crystals!” the Mana sprite said and the system trill into life again.

DING!

TIER I OUTPOST IN DISREGARD

WILL YOU REPAIR?

Y/N

COST 24000 MANA ESSENCE.

…

YOU HAVE FIVE MANA CRYSTALS

…

25000 MANA ESSENCE PRESENT

Without hesitating, he paid the cost of the repairs and immediately the crystals disappeared into the array and Jazmel felt the array shudder and then the crystals crushed and compressed into smaller granules, into fine sand like particles which seeped into ground and then burst forth, scaling the whole tower, and beginning to repair the inside of the tower.

So, a Mana crystal was worth five thousand Mana essence, that sounded like a lot. But in all the floors he had been in, inside the labyrinth so.

“The outpost will repair everything to what it was before, you just need to ask it and it will let you know what the cost will be.” The sprite said.

“What do I call you?” Jazmel asked, thinking it might have a name to refer to it.

“AI, Astral Intelligence. All those who have factions or guilds are allowed to have a Mana sprite.” The sprite, now named AI explained.

“I have seen a kingdom form; it didn’t have an AI.” Jazmel offered and the sprite bobbed in the air as if to nod.

“Some do and some don’t, some form later when the array has had more time invested in it.” AI let him know. Jazmel accepted that and then moved on.

“What else did you get in the war chest?” the AI asked, and Jazmel willed them from within the war chest and the sprite bobbed in the air with frigid excitement. He pulled out the other items and AI squealed; he couldn’t help but smile at its show of happiness.

“What do you want to do?” AI asked Jazmel, and he looked at the little thing. curious about its serious tone now.

“I want to make the outpost more fortified, and I want to provide some living quarters to the outpost too.” He admitted and AI bobbed in the air, in nodding fashion.

“Create living quarters.” Jazmel called out and hoped the system would understand what he was asking.

LAYOUT PROVISION REQUIRED

Jazmel accepted and one of the layouts disappeared into the array. He watched as a small schematic of the foundations appeared in front of him and using his hands, he could mould the layout to fit where he wanted. He settled for placing the living quarters on the ground floor, in the corner of the courtyard.

“Great!” AI shrieked and Jazmel nodded that he was happy with the positioning. The doors had been repaired by now and so his friends had entered the large room where his seat and the faction array was splayed into the floor.

They whistled as they looked around, even Jazmel found himself in awe from the inscriptions repairing themselves internally and then he imagined it was doing the same outside. But he hadn’t stepped outside to see anything.

“AI how is the repairs going outside?” he asked, and the system popped up for him to see.

“BWF Outpost 11%” he sighed, there was still a lot to work on.

“Once you get to 100% you will be able to tier up.” AI uttered to him, and Jazmel smiled with an idea came to him.

“AI, can I invite people here?” he asked, and AI bobbed in the air.

“Send an origami swan to someone and it will become an invite to them. once they come here and you allow them access to the array, they will be able to always return. But you can also remove people from the array, and it will make it hard for them to return on their own.” AI explained.

“Can I add these guys to the array?” he asked, and AI bobbed in the air.

The system interface trilled and popped up. Showing Jazmel, a list of positions and empty slots.

“I am adding you all to the faction now.” Jazmel said and tapped into it; Jazmel watched as his friends were all added to the systems.

DING

YOU HAVE ADDED RETAINERS TO YOUR FACTION

YOUR FACTION HAS GROWN!

BONUS!!

…

10% EXP BONUS FOR 6 HOURS

Jazmel watched as his friends all saw the same bonus.

“You can give out tasks and quests, the system will provide rewards depending on how well they do.” AI expressed and Jazmel nodded in understanding. He tapped the system notifications, and immediately put together a task for his friends.

DING!

TASK FOR THE FACTION OF THE BLACK WING!!

…

SCOUT THE AREA AND REGISTER THE FLORA AND FAUNA!

THE HIGHER THE TIER THE HIGHER THE REWARD!!

REWARDS;

EXP & STATS

Jazmel watched the excitement on his friends faces as they split from one another, and they headed out to complete the quests. the first one out was Bannerman and immediately Jazmel felt the system reading his movement.

A small blip showed on empty terrain and as they travelled around the edges that were once blurred, began to form a map and then the outpost formed on a holographic scheme and then others appeared to. Coloured and he didn’t know who they were but soon names appeared as they panned out the layout of the enclosed area.

DING!

FACTION AREA EXPLORATION DISCOVERED

6%

…

NEW FLORA FOUND

MANA ESSENCE ACCRUED!

He nodded at that, as the confirmation explained. Tasks or quests done for the faction would build Mana essence and he could use that to build or add to the outpost. Whereas he could also buy Mana crystals, something he would have to figure out later. He remembered his previous idea and opening his origami swan he wrote his invitation.

To king Frae of Orevalor. I am writing to you as I am in need, I have just become the leader of an outpost. A faction in need of some serious repairs, if this is a bad idea, please let me know. But I would like to use the dwarven coin you presented me with. To ask you, the mighty dwarves of Orevalor to help me fortify my position and begin building somewhere me and my friends can call home. He sent the origami swan up into the air and sped off before winking out of sight. Baek had remained and not gone on the task he had set all the retainers; he had merely been standing waiting for Jazmel when the swan departed he cleared his throat and Jazmel took the time to explain to him his idea.

“That is leadership at its finest young master, which is innovation. Dwarves are incredible builders and well known for their fortifications. How did you come across these dwarves?” he asked, and Jazmel took the time to explain to him, in some detail, what had happened to him once he had entered the locked gate. Baek listened on for the duration of his tale and nodded at the end.

“Those conditions must have been difficult for you, but to be able to complete them and also earn the dwarves the right to the system again? that will ensure you have friends forever with them.” Baek offered and Jazmel agreed, frae; King Frae was his friend forever more.

“What else happened?” Baek asked and Jazmel told him about the Ocean temple and then meeting the merchant family as to which Baek smiled.

“A merchant owing you would be a brilliant source of resources. Good thinking to send Tango and Mary with him.” Baek said and as he said it, Jazmel sent another swan to Tango offering him invitation to the faction outpost.

“And Gilmore?” Baek inquired, Jazmel explained how he had just met him, and they found the trial gate that led them to the outpost. Baek inclined his head in understanding.

“What happened to you? How did you find the trial gate?” Jazmel asked and listened intently while Baek shared the moments of their last few journeys. They had completed a merchant guilds request, they had passed through a whirlpool on a ship which ended up bringing them to the bottom of the sea, where they faced off against Merman in vast numbers. But once they had defeated the monsters, they all managed to pass through the gates without any issues.

“What will you do?” Jazmel asked Baek.

“What do you mean?”

“What will you do here?” Jazmel asked again.

“Do you mean to give me a position here?” he asked, and Jazmel nodded.

“I do not think that would be good for you all.” Baek offered and Jazmel nodded, knowing a little that he might have said something along those lines.

DING!

FACTION AREA DISCOVERED 34%!

…

FLORA AND FAUNA DISCOVERED

MANA ESSENCE COLLECTED!

…

REWARDS GIVEN OUT!

As these notifications showed themselves, his friends returned, and the array lit up as they entered.

“I need to tier up!” Katie said and Jazmel nodded, Sadé said the same and he smiled, remembering her happiness before.

“AI, can you show them to the living quarters please?” the sprite bobbed and then zoomed off leading Katie and Sadé off.

“This tower is cool; can we look around?” Patton asked and Jazmel said yes, in truth he hadn’t had a chance. But now he was intrigued.

Behind the seat was another doorway which led to the stairs. To Jazmel’s surprise the stairs went upstairs and down. He look down the stairwell and saw that there were three levels below the ground floor, and he wanted to go down, but the others had decided to go up. Look upwards, the tower ascended by four levels. So, it wasn’t too many floors. But the stairs were steep, and a climb let a light buzz of fatigue in his thighs.

The first floor was a library, the doors were barred; but once Jazmel placed a hand on its frame the door literally melted away and disappeared. Space had been bent in this room, as the library was three stories, but it all fit on the first floor, even as Jazmel peered into the room, he could see rows, shelves and aisles of books and scrolls. AI appeared at this moment and with a shriek she landed on Jazmel’s shoulder.

“This is the library; information is a valuable resource. We have many tomes here, a great deal of information. But it has been years since it has been updated.” AI explained. Baek walked into the library and began looking through the scrolls and picking up a quill he began writing something down. The system immediately chimed!

DING!

NEW INFORMATION ADDED TO THE LIBRARY

MANA ESSENCE REWARD!

…

Jazmel immediately thought of an idea and within seconds he was creating a task.

DING!

NEW TASK CREATED!!

…

SCHOLAR OF THE WORLD!

UPDATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

STAT POINT REWARD!

Baek looked up as the notification system appeared before him and smiling, he accepted the task and began to look over the other opened tomes on the table. They left him there, inside the library and across from that door was another room, the door barred. When he asked AI what it was, she exclaimed that it was an eatery. But as they had no store food, the eatery had no resources for it. he needed to change that.

“We could always hunt the creatures outside and bring them back for the store.” Bannerman explained. Jazmel thought that was a clever idea and asked Bannerman if he would hunt. He agreed and went back downstairs. Jazmel went to make him a task too.

DING!

NEW TASK

…

FILL THE STORE WITH MORE!!

HUNT FOR YOUR FACTION

10% EXP BOOST

Bannerman was already gone but he accepted the task and the system alerted Jazmel. Now all that was left was Gilmore and Patton, but Jazmel was happy to traverse the rest of the floors with them. the second floor was built the same, on the right of the stairs were rooms for the faction leader. Private quarters, large and gaudy. Room for a bed, a walk-in closet and a shower closet which expanded into a bath in the floor.

The boys looked around and they made little jokes about the regal arrangements, but it was all too much for Jazmel. They left that room and across from that room was another node. AI who had been sitting on Jazmel’s all this time, explained.

“This is where you can check all your faction details and information. Allies, threats, quests anything of the sort. You can do them downstairs too, but this is a more intimate place for you. It’s a simpler array, prepared for singular use and responsibilities.” AI explained and Jazmel stepped into the chamber. It was simply an open white room, with a large Mana crystal imbedded into the ground. He walked in and the floor changed to a darkened colour, like twilight in the evening. He placed his hand on the central node and immediately. His notifications changed, showing unusual parts of the outpost and the quests for the faction but also the tasks for each different part of the faction. It was a lot to deal with and he would have to go through them thoroughly, but right now they were on a tour.

As he stepped from the chamber and the room turned back to an all-white chamber. An origami swan appeared before him. He opened it and smiled.

I am glad you found your party so soon! You have a faction now!! Count us as your allies, I am bringing provisions and dwarves to help with the repairs.

King Frae had responded and he was on his way.

They climbed to the third floor and on the left was a room full of maps and regions and outlines of other things. Gates as well as arrays. It made no sense to Jazmel, but Patton was mesmerised. He started pouring over the maps and began scribbling notes atop them.

DING!

REGION EXPANDED

EXP EARNED!

Jazmel nodded at the notifications and left Patton to what seemed like his own tasks.

“And then there was one.” Gilmore grinned and Jazmel hid a chuckle.

“Thank you for accepting me into your faction.” Gilmore said and Jazmel could tell he was being sincere.

“Thanks for sticking with me.” Jazmel said. Jazmel shook hands with Gilmore, and they continued up to the top floor of the tower and to no surprise, it was an actual tower top. It allowed view around the whole outpost and between the opened area of the windowsill a giant scrying glass could be rolled around, so anyone viewing the area could zoom in. it was fascinating, an unsecured area someone could keep watch at the top of the tower and warn the others below at any moment.

Jazmel and Gilmore took their time travelling down, checking in on Patton and Baek who were both busy in their own tasks. So, they continued their descent and came down to the ground floor.

Bannerman was waiting at the doorway of the room of the seat with carcasses behind him. Waiting for them.

“Where do you want these?” as he said this, Katie and Sadé appeared and Gilmore seeing Sadé looking at Jazmel.

“I will show you the store. He went over and hefted one of the carcasses, that which looked like a deer sort of creature onto his shoulder while Katie and Bannerman did the same.

Left alone, Jazmel looked at Sadé and she looked at him. Suddenly shy but not wanting her to know, he led her out into the courtyard, wanting to see how the repairs were going. Stepping through the double doors. He was shocked, the system repairs were durable. The courtyard had been restored to normality. It was no longer cracked and broken, instead it was squared tiles; sturdy and layered in proper fashion. He realised it had been a training platform, at each corner a sturdy fire plate stood and beneath it a Mana crystal was placed.

“AI what are those?” he asked, motioning towards the fire plates.

“Once lit, a force field will lock the training ground and so people can watch from outside and be safe.” AI explained and Jazmel nodded.

“Should we spar?” Sadé asked and Jazmel looked at her, they had never sparred before. But she was smiling at him, and it seemed all the more dangerous.

“Alright, how do you want to do this?” he asked, and she shrugged.

“The training courtyard has a role here, three hit points per user. So, the first to be struck three times loses.” AI explained as it floated off of his shoulder and headed towards the flame plate to light it.

“Don’t hold back.” She told him and he nodded, he drew Hajime slowly and watched as she drew her own sword, a katana that was sheathed in a purple scabbard, he hadn’t noticed that before. But now that he saw it, she carried it and got ready.

The fire flame plate lit, and the others soon followed. Jazmel watched as a bubble of Mana formed around them and closed them in. AI stayed outside of it and bobbed waiting to see them begin.

“Begin!” it squealed and flitted out of the bubble dome of Mana.

Thunder Crown

She commanded and above her head, a crown of thunder crackled as it formed. Ionised energy rippled around her, and he felt the energy permeate the air around him. He darted to the left and without pulling his swords, he simple called his skills into the air.

Whirlwind

He whisked up a Mana gale, using his hand to direct where the Mana would form and buffeted her with it, but she tore through it with a slash of her katana and a blade of Mana and thunder flew at him. He dived out of the way and considered her for a moment.

Slash!

She skipped out of the way, and he used the moment to dart forward and rush to strike at her with his swords. He kept it sheathed and used the scabbard to check her at each turn. She tried to duel him, but his trait and ability made it impossible to better him, he could see the flaws in her swordsmanship at a simple glance.

Foxfire!

She yelled at him, and blue orbs of fire and Mana fluttered in the wind like falling leaves. But she had changed them a little, inside them he could see that thunder burned the fire and made them exploder larger and more violently.

He jumped out of the way of one such attack, only to land in the same direction as another and was forced to create even more distance between them. she smiled at him, cocky and he hated how beautiful she looked.

Thunderfire!

She threw her special thunder and fire skill at him and this time it was much larger, he realised that her crown allowed her to strengthen her thunder skills and attributes. He nodded at confirmation when the skill flitted towards him as if homing in. with a quick slash, he cut it in two and the attack landed either side of him, imploding on itself. He sheathed Hajime and she looked annoyed.

“Fight me properly!” she growled and threw another skill at him, the thunder propelling the fire at him like a bolt of lightning.

Slash!

Whirlwind

Flight of the blue kite!!

He used all of his skills, hoping to catch her off guard but she formed a bolt of thunder from her crown and made the blue Mana bird vanish and then used the same Mana to burn slash skill out of the sky.

Foxfire!

She hurled them at the ground and between the dust and the debris, she tried to block his vision. But in the smoke, he saw her Mana and averted her follow attack, but instead used it to surprise her from behind. He swept her feet from under her, catching her before she hit the ground and she held onto him, with her arms about his head.

“I forgot about your eyes!” she said and though she looked almost mad, a smile appeared on her face from their closeness.

“You would have had me, if I didn’t have these eyes.” He admitted and she seemed happier with that, he helped her up and she stayed close to him and watched as the dome popped and slowly disappeared.

“Well done! It has been a while since this training courtyard has seen action.” AI said, in its happy to be there demeanour. Jazmel nodded and Sadé let her hair cascade around her face to hide her emotions.

“How do you feel as a tier III seeker now?” he asked her, and she nodded, pushing her hair behind one of her ears.

“Stronger.” She said and he knew what she meant. It had been mere months, but already they were teetering at the end of seeker and pushing to ranker. Even though that placed them in the same places as her parents and then for Jazmel; the same as Tango and Mary.

“I sent my parents a message about the faction. I didn’t tell them they could join, but mum said; if you need anything. We should just ask.” She said and Jazmel thanked her again.

“I need to send word to Mary and Tango actually.” Jazmel admitted, he had planned to. But after the tour and the tasks, he had gotten carried away.

He pulled out three different origami swans and sent one to Mary, one to Tango and another to Colin. He would need the merchants help and he knew it.

“My mother does the same thing when she has to see about her duties.” Sadé explained and Jazmel was shocked.

“Your mum is the faction leader?” he asked, and she shook her head. “No, she is one of the clan elders. Clans are a bit different, but they run in the same sort of features. As one of the elders, she can create different tasks for members below her and the Clan head can provide her with quests too.” She explained and he listened thoughtfully.

“I should take the time to read the uses of my seat and what I can really do.” He said and before she could respond, AI landed on his shoulder again. squealing with joy. “And I will help you even more!” it said, and he laughed, Sadé smiling a lot at that.

“What we probably need to do, is find a way to begin building the factions Mana crystals and essence resource. We need to have a constant flow of that and if they are the only things that can allow me to upgrade this place, we need to start working on that.” He said and Sadé listened, thinking quietly to herself.

“AI do you have a Mana crystal source here?” she asked, and the AI giggled before bobbing in the air.

“YES!” it squealed and then spurted off, heading towards a derelict part of the courtyard. Jazmel and Sadé followed and after moving some of the debris away, there was a causeway that descended beneath the outpost which was on a cliff face. The causeway descended maybe a hundred steps and led to an opening that was barred off by Mana. Jazmel placed a hand on it and immediately a notification popped up.

DING!

THE OUTPOST HAS A MANA VEIN

THE VEIN HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY MONSTERS

CLEAR IT OUT AND EARN THE SOURCE OF MANA CRYSTALS AGAIN

TIER ONE MANA VEIN FOUND!

WARNING TIER II BOSS RESIDES INSIDE

He looked at Sadé, she hadn’t received the notification. But with a thought, he added the task to hers too and she nodded once she saw it.

“The system is offering me EXP and an item reward.” She said and he felt a little envy, the system didn’t offer him anything of the sort, but he figured the exp and the stats he would gain would be fine.