Chapter 3: The mine
(Michael's House)
"Well, thanks to whoever did it." Seeing the prompts he started reading. There were too many with different information. A lot of them were distorted, more images became recognizable. The one that stood out happen to be the last one.
(Invading force 100 miles outside of the city gate. The leader is at the rank of Pawn.)
"Well shit, I need to get started on a force to fight with and soon." Looking at the application build, Michael saw the many different builds that could help. Barracks, Granary, Aqueduct, Workshop as well as an Armory are available. "Let's build everything but the Aqueduct. We dont have water nearby."
Clicking each he walked outside to see the ratmen had leaf clothing on. The area had a lot of the trees moved out of the way. The ones not moved away, had a lot of their branches and roots stored to the side of the houses.
"Ok... so I have been out for a while now."
A spirit walked up to him, it was A ball of energy that just stared at him. "What would you like us to do?"
"Just give me a second." Michael thought hard but realized it was a little easier to think now. "I know. Your kind can turn things into other material but only a spiritual version of it. I need you to make water. Just a bit away from the town. Run it along the backside. Also, get some of the ratmen to help you build ditches to canal the water over."
Finding a bigger Haon, he asked him to fill him in.
While he was out they just kept making a better wall. Well, walls actually. There were three strong walls defending the place. Layered with dirt compacted as hard as stone. Bark ladders in the inside portion of the walls for the ratmen to climb. The treemen were still at work on moving the trees about. They would continue until new orders came. The grass clothing was their idea for the ratmen. The balls of energy were Will-O-Wisp. The most basic of spirits.
"So we went exploring after the walls were first built. I had the others continue on improving them. There wasnt much to do besides that. So we did that and found some things. There is a mine, not too far from here. But it is infested with spiders." Haon's mouth snarled a little. "Filthy things almost got me. But I was to smart for it."
"How did you get away?"
"I took a shit on its head when I jumped over it. The stupid thing screamed crazy. Guess it didnt know what a full essence diet would do to a person."
"Good job. Glad no one in our group died. Well, the barracks and the army are getting built. Along with a granary so there is that. A possible invasion is coming so we need to get ready for them." Michael then realized what he said in the beginning. "Did you say took a shit on 'em?"
"Yes, I did. Sure, what the heck are we gonna do then? We dont have fighters?"
"When the barracks are done we will start with our forces. Also, your looking fit. I am pretty sure you can kick some butt. All of us are going to be needed in this fight." Michael explained as best he could. The ratmen stood by listening. The more he talked the more rats showed up to listen.
"Long as you dont kill any of us to get stronger or recycle us, I will fight my hardest." Haon smiled and reached out his paw for a handshake. Returning the handshake Michael stared puzzle for a moment. "Besides the more we do, the more we are rewarded by yourself and the galaxy as a whole."
"I wouldn't do that. At least I dont think I would." Michael thought about the newly revealed information. "Wait, explain those to me. What did you mean by that exactly?"
"Sure Boss. You are an Extraction Summoner. You could turn us into raw essence and make yourself stronger. Even easier since we are your forces. Recycling is destroying us just for the resources to remake us. It's close to the other thing but different. We are remade when we are recycled so hopefully, you won't do that. It is quite horrendous." Haon smile faltered at the end. "Boss this forest has a lot of secrets. You will learn them in time. As for the "Galaxy", it is always watching judging moving essence as it sees fit. Be careful of who and what you kill."
"No. Cant wait. I will trust you to help us become stronger. As for the recycling part... I will look into ways to make sure it isn't painful. I dont imagine anyone would pass up the chance to be stronger. But if everyone is against it... I won't do it." Shaking his head he couldn't give a full guarantee. "I will have to think on that more. What do you know of the forest?"
"From the whisper's that those treemen speak of, not much. But this place is massive and dangerous. So others will come to challenge you for it. You can let them keep coming to grow in strength or you can kill the first challenger and seal the place off. The downside to that, outside essence cant, pull it. The place as a whole will stop growing. Unless you pour essence into it yourself."
A few of the others chimed in as well.
"I see. That will become a problem. After we stop whoever this is.. we need to grow bigger. I won't cut off till we have a good growth going. And when we need a safe haven. Right now we definitely dont have the means just to seal our selves off. That is my decision. So tell me about my class since you know a lot."
"If you can build a temple you would be able to make a shaman. He can advise you more." Do' said speaking next. "But not enough magicks."
"Temple is higher up. We will have to find out another way." Michael moved his head back and forth. "Wait, cant one of you become a shaman?"
"Well if we meet the criteria we can. But out of the 50 of us. Only two of us like magic. And its combat magic."
"Never mind that then. Haon, anything else?"
"Eh, I know a little. The Spirits know more. But good luck getting them to talk to you. Your bracelet will let you extract from almost anything. As long as you can resist the after-effects if you fail at it. Like how you passed out earlier. Unless you spend all the essence in your bracelet and store it correctly, you are gonna keep passing out. You can extract skills from others an give it to yourself or your summons. Right now, it doesn't look like you have any. Well besides us anyway. But it takes twice as many essences for you to give it to us. Summons that you make are a lot easier to enhance. Since it is your class and all. But that's about what I know anyway. It will take you becoming stronger for me to remember on my own. If you become stronger maybe the spirits will help you as well."
"That is not a little. That is a lot, my furry friend," Michael said smiling at him. "From the info, I have in my noggin we are going to need that mine eventually. Also, if we do take it over we should be able to produce different metals or whatever there is. You, me, and ten ratmen with five treeman and a spirit will go check out the mine."
"We will get ready. 15 minutes tops." Haon said getting the others to follow.
Michael watched the others leave and stood there for a few seconds. Walking over to the Treemen, he watched them for a while. They were hard at work. Careful with the moving of their brethren as they put it. Hands grabbed slowly and moving roots from the ground.
When it was lifted up, it was replanted two feet away. This continued over and over again. The treemen used the essences in the air help with the regrowth. It was obvious with water it would go easier, faster, and safer. Instievely Michael didnt want to hurt the trees. Then he headed to the north exit.
(Vitality 4.5→ 5.0 Strength 2.0→ 2.5 Defense 2.5→ 3.0 Magic 4.0→ 4.5)
"I leveled up after the wall was completed. The excess essence I absorbed filled in from my bracelet. Damn, I still have some of it stored incorrectly. Do I risk trying to transfer it or do I wait till my nodule gets more fixed?"
Michael reached his hand down into the dirt. Instead of absorbing the essence directly into himself, he just tried to pool it around him. Slowly it continued to gather till it formed a giant ball. A voice rang out slowly.
"Extraction Summoner.. what.. do you.. offer?" The voice could be heard all around. Sweet and succulent. But also low and calm.
And downright freaky if Michael has anything to say about it.
"I offer... I.. offer.." Michael drew a blank. He had know idea what to offer. He didn't own anything. Answering nervous as hell, it was time to wish for the best. "A partnership... Yeah, that is what I offer."
"Offer.. accepted." The voice disappeared. In this area, more essence pulled togethor. In a matter of moments. A figure formed up that was quite mind boggling.
(First Extraction Summon has chosen the highest category of your personal information.)
"Holy crap on a cracker! The first summons I get in forever and this is what's available? I am a bloody rat!" The summon took the form of a ratmen. Well, ratwoman to be specific.
She stood at five foot five only two inches smaller than Michael. Her arms were the size of eighty-pound dumbells. Stomping around on the ground she created little divets. She stared at Michael once she calmed down a little. Scrutinizing him intensely then she scoffed in disgust.
"Hmph. You are really weak and untrained. Well, this will be a short contract. Call me Aideen. Chose it from the categories of names in your noggin. You know that place is all kinds of damage." Aideen circled around him slowly. Her tail smacked the ground every time she saw something was wrong with him.
"As nice as this has been, we are leaving. Going to try to clear the Mine in the area." Michael looked at her with his eyes narrowed. For some reason, Aideen rubbed him the wrong way. "Stay here if you dont want to come." Turning around he walked off with the Treemen, Ratfolk, and the one Spirit that showed up. New information revealed itself when he made the contract.
As Micael moved, he pulled the essences to himself and around those with him. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than nothing. Slowly he created small flexible armor made from rock & soil.
The inside was laced with loose dirt that would pull from the ground over time to repair itself. Humans would not fight with this. But the beast tribe would. A hardened stone dagger appeared in each of the smaller ratmen. The other more beefer ones received stone swords. A small buckler formed of stone around their arms. It was kept togethor by vines.
In the hands of the treefolk, bows of wood formed up out of twisted branches. In the hands of the treefolk, they tightened even more so slowly. Each of them adjusted it to themselves as needed.
'Oh, so he is recovering. Slowly but not fast enough. I guess I should help him out. Better than returning to the Nothingness of the Forest.' Watching intently, Aideen ran to catch up. It was quite easy for her. She was an actual fighter among other things. Walking right beside Michael, she eyed him and the others. 'Fair weapons. If we were fighting against Kobold's or something, this would work great. But what are we fighting against?' Seeing they were all work types, she wonders why the warriors were not present. "So.. what are we fighting against?"
"Glad of you to grace us with your presence. We are going to a mine. There are spiders in the place. Hopefully, we can get some metal essence at the worst. At the best, we can get the mine itself. Whatever happens, we need the experience and see how we stand." Michael said as he kept working on a stone spear tip.
Every three minutes he compressed it and added more to it. Every time he thought it was hard enough, he added more to it again and again.
"Are you crazy?! Spiders?! With stick and stones?! Why did you think this would work?" Aideen asked incredulously. "Why don't you have any warriors with you?"
"Because we have no choice. An invasion force is coming and is en route to our little city. I can mold beast type things the most right now. So yeah sticks and stones. Cavemen killed things with it so it should work well enough. I will find out when I attack the shell of the things. Or exoskeleton carapace. I dont really know how much they match to spiders. I think this will work because it has to. If we run, we won't get far. That's what I feel anyway. As for the warriors. They are getting made now. If we fail at the mine it won't matter most likely. The Warriors will be able to defend the city. They might even win. So yeah that is the plan." Michael took a deep breath after saying all of that. The spear could not be enhanced or compressed any further.
(Beastmen Craft acquired.)
Aideen listened and took all he said into account. For about an hour of travel, it was quiet. She watched as he started to focus on the other weapons next. "Why not bludgeoning weapons instead?"
"Because we dont have the strength. I know I dont have the raw strength yet. All the worker class and me a magical class. If I trusted myself more, I would use a bow myself. But I won't risk hitting them. However, I trust myself a little bit more with Melee. I know how to stab and slash."
"Very well then. I will fight with you. Give me a hammer. I will crack them open." Aideen said plainly. "A two-hander."
"Sure when I finish everyone else." Michael continued to work on the others. "First come first serve."
Stopping by a small pond everyone had a little water. In the end, he worked on a Hammer for Aideen.
"We are close to the mine. Are you sure about this?" Haon asked to make sure.
"No, I am not." Michael looked at them all one last time. Then at the mine. "If you dont want to come, I will go alone." Moving up alone, he pushed the spear tip first. Gripping the shaft tightly his sweat absorbed directly into the wood.
The spirit flew down directly landing on Michael. In a moment it fused with him. This only gave him the ability to see in the magical dark and lowlight places.
(Symbiosis achieved.)
Haon was already on his way following behind. The other ratfolk moved in next, taking flanking positions around Haon. The treefolk stood a good bit to the middle.
Aideen just watched amazed. 'How the hell did he get their loyalty. The treefolk I can understand. But the rats... they take a lot to get them to follow anyone.' With three kicks of her feet, she caught up. 'This has gotten interesting.'
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone