After having hauled logs for the better part of the day, I'd worked up a sweat and took a dip in the river. Carl joined me, piggybacking on the sense of security a "high level" brought. He'd been one of the people ready to defend Tessia on the day that I returned. A good man from all I'd seen, loyal and competent. Like many others in the camp, he didn't like fighting very much, but he didn't shy away from it either.

  When we returned and the sun had started dipping toward the horizon, everyone had moved back inside the center perimeter. Elinor nodded in greeting as I passed. Adam and Martin were there too, both wearing their bows over their shoulders. Adam's movements were stiff and forced, but he would be able to use his bow when the time came. The kids looked happier here, the youngest especially. He laughed out loud as he zig zagged between the adults littering the area below the treehouse.

  Aubrey, Tom, Aya, and Tessia stood gathered by the ladder. They eyed me, half-expecting me to join them. I lingered with the others instead. They were the leaders; I was just a nobody who supplied the Settlement Crystal, a detail nobody outside the leadership should be aware of. At least I hoped so.

  The young boy bumped into my leg and bounced off. His laughter stopped as he gazed up at me. I smiled but could see how he gulped as he climbed back to his feet. "Be careful!" Elinor hissed, prompting the boy to scamper over to her. He clawed at her sleeve as he hid behind her.

  Well damn. When did I become the Boogeyman?

  I scowled. Can't expect too much when I'm wearing a wolf cloak, I suppose.

  "Everyone," Aubrey announced, and the crowd went quiet. "The time has come. We've made our preparations as well as we can without knowing what's coming. I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I hope we can continue to work together to weather this storm. There are weapons, but not enough to arm everyone. I ask that only those who are willing to fight to protect others take weapons for themselves."

  A small murmur bubbled from the crowd. People stirred, shifting uncomfortably in place as they eyed the pile of daggers. Eyes turned to me and the many pieces of weaponry I was wearing. I scratched my neck and chuckled nervously. It didn't make very much sense for a summoner to be wearing all this. I understood that, of course. As a show of understanding, I sighed and added my bow to the pile.

  It just restricts my movement anyway, I told myself and stared at the weapon, then glanced at Aubrey. She smiled, mouthing that she'd repay me, but with all the clothes I had her making, she already was.

  She waved at Aya and Tessia, who stepped forward.

  Aya cleared her throat. "We will be moving in groups. Tessia will take command of rangers and scouts; they will support our main fighters from the back lines. They will also protect those of us who cannot fight. I will control our main host of fighters from the front lines as we man the defenses," she turned to me specifically. "We move together, or we don't move at all."

  I nodded to show her that I understood. Moving alone had never been my plan, not before I knew what we were dealing with.

  The leadership brought out water, fruits, and grilled meats and handed them out to everyone. They must have had quite strict rationing, because everybody seemed taken aback at the generous portions. Elinor and Martin's kids' eyes, not excluding Adam, sparkled at the sight of the beautiful fruits. I still had no idea where they'd even found them. I hadn't even thought about fruits, sustaining myself on meat and rations alone as I traveled.

  Fiery red light washed over the Verdant Glade as the sun began to set. What used to be the golden hour, took on another sight completely, bathing the forest of white birch trees in the velvety scarlet of blood. The mood became muted as we finished our meal.

  Erected around the mother tree was now a wall at least two people tall. The top wore mounted pikes to dissuade any potential climbers, and all the surrounding trees had been cut down to allow for a clear view from the intermittently placed vantage points. Tom called them watchtowers, but in reality they were just glorified stepladders with railings.

  People stirred; those brave enough stepped forward to grab a weapon, then fastened them to their bodies. Martin and Adam explained how to use a bow to those who hadn't yet had time to practice. Not everyone had been lucky, or driven enough, to find a supply cache, thereby receiving a weapon as a reward.

  Aya taught those who had large weapons, and Tessia spoke to those who had daggers, which after my recent haul turned out to be the majority of our forces.

  I watched on from the sides, leaning against the thick base of the mother tree. A shadow fell over me and someone cleared their throat, jolting me out of my thoughts. "Wha?!"

  "Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

  I caught my breath, looking him up and down. He was around my age, on the skinnier side, and had middle-parted black hair that reached to his ears. A sword hung on his hip, almost hidden by the trench coat he wore over a pair of black jeans and a brown tee. I raised my eyebrows. "A sword user? You're the first I've seen in a while."

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  People gravitated toward other stuff for some reason. You'd think having a sword was the most badass thing many could imagine, but when their lives were on the line, people apparently chose the more straightforward weapons.

  He nodded, a complicated expression on his face. "There are no other high levels with a sword. I'd rather learn from the master than her," he said, nodding his chin toward Aya.

  A shiver ran up my spine. What the hell is this guy saying?

  "Master? Me?" I scoffed.

  He smirked. "You're level sixteen, higher than Aya and Tessia by more than double. Having the Summoner class doesn't fool me."

  Well, he does have a point there, for all the wrong reasons though.

  "So? What do you want?"

  "I just want a few pointers." He patted the sword hilt with a smirk. "I'm pretty handy with the blade already, but a true master never turns down an opportunity to learn."

  I looked him up and down.

  [Fighter LV6]

  That's better than expected.

  "Alright, what's your stat spread like?"

  "A spar it is!" he announced with a grin. He flapped his coat to the side and unsheathed his sword. "Fighters get strength and vitality every level, and two free stat points on top. Of course, I sink all of them into strength."

  I drew my own sword with a complicated expression as he got into a low stance. He held his sword above his head, level to the ground while pointing the tip at me. His other hand he reached forward like some sort of Kung Fu master. He'd probably be fast, and obviously he'd be strong, but all that went to waste without control. Even a fool should be able to deduce that.

  Before I even gave the go ahead, he burst forth, sending plumes of dust into the air as he charged.

  "Raaagh!" he shouted and cut down, gripping his hilt with both hands.

  The winds parted to make room for his sword with a howl. His attack was, as expected, both fast and strong, but he lacked any kind of finesse. Just by watching how his shoulders sagged I could tell that he'd open with an overhead swing.

  I sidestepped and let him push into my reach, then kicked his leading foot out from under him. With all the momentum of a strength-based build backing him, he tumbled to the ground, sending a spray of grass fluttering into his surroundings. "Shit!" he muttered and pushed himself back up.

  Whirling back around, his trench coat trailed his movements like a blur. His grin widened. "As expected: you're good," he said and charged.

  His sword's tip almost scraped the ground, he held it with one hand and half-hidden behind his back. With a grunt, his shoulders tensed. A wide diagonal swing.

  I stepped into his range before his swing was even half finished and smacked his sword-hand with my pommel. With a yelp, his sword went skittering across the ground. Once again, his momentum was too much for him to control. Only this time I'd be the one he crashed into, and I couldn't have that.

  I grabbed his sleeve and turned, using my hips to slam into his and lift him off the ground. His momentum shifted as he flipped upside down. Our eyes met for a surreal moment as he hurtled through the air before slamming onto the ground with a moan and another cloud of dirt.

  "Shit," I said and hurried over to him. "You alright?"

  "Yeah," he said in a wheeze, still trying to regain his breath. "All good. All those points in vitality would be wasted if I couldn't take a hit or two."

  After helping him back up on his feet and dusting his coat free from dirt, he reached a hand forward. "Ralph, by the way."

  I shook it with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Ralph. I'm Jax."

  "I know that already. So? Any tips?"

  I scratched my chin. The stubble had grown longer than I'd ever let it. "Don't go so fast?"

  He knitted his eyebrows. "What do you mean? Momentum is king."

  "Not if it's used against you. The throw I used on you is pretty much the first thing you learn in Judo. Do you want any white belt to be able to throw you around like a doll?"

  He lowered his gaze, muttering, "No... No of course not."

  "Then you need to learn how to pace yourself."

  "I see. Well, this has been enlightening." He eyed my sword, his grin widening as his confidence returned. "I didn't take you to be a trickster, using the sword as a misdirection, only for you to be a brawler underneath the guise. You fooled me completely." He sighed and gazed longingly toward the setting red sun. "I see I must continue to walk the path of the blade on my own."

  I blinked, once, then twice. Before I could find a good response he'd sheathed his sword and walked over to join Aya and the others, his trench coat flapping in the wind behind him.

  Gawking, I watched. "What the fuck was that..."

  It took me a while to recover, and when I finally did most of the preparations had been done. Rangers occupied the watchtowers and looked out from the walls. Fighters stood gathered near the two gates we currently had to the settlement. If things wanted to get inside, they'd funnel to the gates. At least that was the plan.

  Aya walked over to me with a wave. "Are you ready?" she asked.

  I nodded. "As ready as I can be."

  "Good. If possible, I'd like you to stay away from the frontlines."

  I glared. "What?"

  "It will be easier for you to adapt to what may happen that way."

  "I see," I muttered. "Alright. I'll do that. What about my group?"

  "Trish will join you."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Trish? Shouldn't she man a watchtower?"

  "No," she said flatly and shook her head. "She must learn to fend for herself."

  Never would I have expected the amazon to throw her protege into the deep end, but it made sense.

  The sun disappeared fully beyond the horizon. A wave of darkness submerged the forest, and with a flash, a pale red moon came into being. It stood out like a rose on a bed of coal.

  "It begins." Aya turned and waved for the red-headed girl to join us. Before she came into earshot, she whispered to me, "Take care of her," then turned to join her fighters.

  Quiet fell over the settlement like a blanket when the system chimed.

  Congratulations, Survivors, Redeemers, you have made it to the first blood moon. Even as your world grows, you have showed determination and competence in making it this far. However, too many still live. For expansion and integration to proceed smoothly, more room must be made. Therefore, tonight is a night of culling, a trial of fire and blood. Good luck.

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